No one wants to eat out with me anymore. I’m becoming annoying.
I’ve decided to live every day like it’s Earth Day, so when the server drops my drink in front of me and a plastic straw is sticking out of it, I go into lecture mode. I know this embarrasses my friends, but I’m stunned when a really hip eatery puts a plastic straw in my drink. Just as a grimy fork can turn me off from a particular joint, a plastic straw does the same thing. It makes the place feel dirty.
When I go into that lecture mode, I realize that many of the folks I’m complaining to get it. Like me, they know plastic is choking our plankton and filling our oceans at an alarming rate. What’s shocking is how many people outside of my community DON’T get it. So, instead of celebrating our planet for one day, I’m pushing for an Earth Season.
What if Earth Day became more like Christmas? What if it were a REAL season?
A kind of movement for carrying our love for the planet thru the year the same way we try to carry the Christmas spirit or our love for each other thru the year.
We could make this big enough so even if you aren’t a full-blown environmentalist like me you still get sucked into the madness that’s Earth Day.
I mean, there are lots of people who aren’t Christians that still get into Christmas and seeing Earth Day is non-denominational, everyone can get into the spirit.
Here are my five easy ways to celebrate Earth Day thru the year:
1. Watch an inspiring movie.
Instead of watching It’s A Wonderful Life, or The Polar Express, watch The True Cost or that classic, An Inconvenient Truth or River Blue to get you into action mode. These movies will open your eyes to how much we’re destroying our planet and motivate you to change your daily habits.
2. Decorate your home.
Instead of cutting down a tree, how about planting one in your yard? Trees absorb CO2 and emit clean oxygen that helps us breathe.
Too cold for tree planting? How about adding potted plants to your home or growing flowers from seed to plant once the ground thaws? Plant native plants that are free from pesticides to draw bees/butterflies so these necessary creatures can flourish and pollinate our food. Trust me, you’ll never freak out when you see a bee if you’ve made a great garden for them.
Don’t have a green thumb? Head over to www.majamas.com & opt to donate $1 to plant a new tree through One Tree Planted, a #nonprofit based in Vermont that plants trees and improves forests in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and North America (we choose to plant ours right here in the USA)!
3. Exchange gifts.
Give a friend or family member (you know, the ones addicted to fast-fashion) an ethically made garment. Show them the difference between a ten dollar tee shirt and one made using responsibly sourced fabrics, sewn using fair-paid labor. When they tell you they love it and it’s lasted, I promise you’ll get that warm feeling in your tummy knowing you did something good.
4. Share a meal.
Instead of a turkey, ham or meat product enjoy a meal made from organically grown and locally sourced veggies. Animal agriculture is one of the biggest sources of CO2 emissions and cutting back on it or eliminating it all together is a great way to help our planet… and your health!
5. Spread cheer.
Share your knowledge and donate to organizations fighting Climate Change.
Speak up when a plastic straw is floating in your drink and share your views on why eliminating plastic from EVERYTHING is necessary.
I promise, you will get into the spirit of Earth Day and pull your friends and family with you if you profess your love for the planet in a fun, happy way.
So this year, let’s make Earth Day a real season. Just like Christmas, let’s live as if we have the power to change the world and make it better for others. Let’s start traditions around the Earth Holiday like cleaning up a city street or teaching kids how to recycle. Let’s keep it going throughout the year and share in the joy of cleaning up our planet. Happy Earth Day to one and all!
– Germaine Caprio, Company Owner & Designer
How are you celebrating Earth Day every day?
Please share your own thoughts with us – let’s get a conversation started in the comments below! Your comment may even win you a free MAJAMAS garment this week!
I compost, re-use, recycle, don’t eat meat or dairy, carry a bamboo set of utensils so if I do eat at a place that gives you plastic cutlery I can say “no thanks”. I volunteer with several environmental groups including Sustain DuPage and The Gardenworks Project. I donate monthly to environmental charities and drive a Prius!
You are definitely doing your part and we truly appreciate it. Now we just have to pull 90% of the rest of the world along! Thank you for reading, sharing and supporting our blog!